Property evolution and service life prediction of novel metallic materials for future lunar bases

While lunar bases have been a focus of development in recent years, the complex and extreme environment of the lunar surface remains a considerable challenge for lunar exploration. Unlike those on Earth, lunar day and night temperature variations cause the properties of materials, especially metallic materials, to evolve in completely different manners. In this study, we investigated the property evolution of nine typical high-performance metallic materials using laboratory simulations of the extremely long-period lunar temperature environment. While lunation treatment improves the properties of all metallic materials, the microscopic mechanisms vary for amorphous and crystalline alloys with different structures. The treatment reduces both the loosely packed regions and heterogeneity in amorphous alloys while causing significant phase changes in crystalline alloys. Furthermore, a conservative prediction of the service life of metallic materials on lunar bases is provided based on analyzing microplastic events, followed by the practical material selection recommendations in various lunar application scenarios.